Wireless check-row planter.



J. K.;COCHRAN. WIRELESS CHECK ROW PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22.1918.

Patnted Jan.14, 1919.

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Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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1. K.. COCHRAN. WIRELESS CHECII ROW PLANTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 22I I918.

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'ful I -for the planter engaging suc JAMES K. GOCHRAN; 0F CARTERVILLE, ILLINOIS.

WIRELESS annex-now PLANTERr- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1918. Serial No. 246,079.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I{:'COCII8AN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oarterville, in the county of Williamson and State of Illinois, have invented new and usemprovements in Wireless Check-Row Planters, of which the following is a specification. 4

It is a well known fact that considerable difficulty is experienced at the present time with markers and planters for corn and other seed, in view of the fact that the wire is usually employed in conjunction with the planter, which wire is engaged by the dropper operating means on the lanter, knots or other obstacles being provi ed at spaced intervals along the wire, the o crating means li obstacles and operating the dropper when so engaged.

To overcome this defect I have constructed a planter adapted to operate altogether independently from any exterior means such as a wire, whereby a tremendous amount of labor is saved, together with the inaccuracies accruing from the wire method of planting.

Another objection to the present style of marker is that the same provides for no means of adjusting, whereby a field of other than rectangular shape may be planted, the rows being planted perfect in ever respect.

In view of the latter difliculty I ave con-. structed in conjunction with positive operating means for a planter, a marker which is provided with means permitting of an adj ustment of the same whereby any irregular field may be planted, the rows appearing regular in every respect.

To accomplish the above objects' I have constructed a planter as disclosed ;in-the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a corn planter and hill marker, check row dropper attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan .view of the device as shown in. Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of my operating means for the marker and dropper for the planter, attached to the hub of the planter.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thls attachment.

Fig. 5 is a detailed View thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view showing this operating means detached from the hub.

Fig. 7 shows a lever applied to the operating means whereby the marker and planter may be adjusted in such a manner as to lay with my wireless out and plant regular rows of seed in an irregular field.

Fig. 8 is a marker, and

Fig. 9 is a view disclosingthe links and lever whereby the operatingmeans are connected to the marker and planter.

Referring to the reference characters applled to the drawings it will be seen that 1 is the corn planter provided with a frame 2 and wheels 3 and detailed view showing the lever 9 is provided with a lower end. The

ratchets 11 on the cap member 12 when said member is to be adjusted. It will be seen that the upper end of this lever operates in a slot 50 formed in a bracket 51 and this slot is provided with a reduced portion .at one end in which the lever normally lies so as to be out of engagement with said ratchets. When the member 12 is to be adjusted the lever is moved into the wide part of the slot so as to engage the ratchets and then by moving said lever said member may be moved to the desired extent.

Secured to the cap member by means of bolts 13 is a U-shaped member 14 having its ends extending outwardly from the member 12. Projecting beyond the base of the cap member 12 is a member 16, which projects through the cap 12 and is formed at its inner end with an eccentric 17 adapted to engage a pawl 18 whose inner end is pivoted to the periphery of the cap 12 and being adapted to engage a ratchet mechanism 19 with'its free end, such ratchet 19 comprising the outer edge of a plate 20 mounted around the inner end of the cylindrical member adjacent the cap 12. v A bar 21 extends from the planter 1 to a position adjacent the hub 5-. A lever 22 is pivotally secured at 23 to the bar 21 and is adapted to be engaged at its lowermost end by the outer arm 15 of the U-member 14, causing it to rock upon its pivot 23 whereby to move a rod 24 connecting the outer end of the lever 22to the dropping attachment provided within the planter 1, operated by means of the crank arm 25. A short arm 26 is provided above the pivot point of the lever 22 and is secured 3' connected together by means of an axle 4. Connected to the hub 5 a cylindrical member 6 sein whicha lever 9 O reduced or knife portion 10 adapted to be moved so as to engage Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

. a guide arm 31 which also serves as to such lever and is adapted by means of a link connection 27 to operate a lever 28 pivoted to the bar 21 at 29.

Pivotally secured to the outer end of the lever 28 is the marker 29 adapted to act against the spring 30. A will be noted the marker 29 is adapted to work within a guard for the marker.

Having now described the construction of my device it will be seenthat in operation the corn planter upon being moved will cause the wheels 3 and 3' to be rotated, consequently revolving the hub 5 together with the attached cylinder (3 and ca member 12, to which the U-shaped member-14 is secured.

The arm 15 will engage the lower end of the lever 32, causing the upper end thereof to be rocked and operating the dropping mechanism of the planter at predetermined intervals, by means of the rod 24 connecting the upper end of the lever 22 to the crank arm 25, operating the dropping mechanism.

The arm 26 will be moved every time the member 14 engages the lever 22 and by means of the link connection 27 will exert an upward push pivoted at 29, causing a consequential depression of the opposite arm. As this opposite arm is pivotally connected to the marker 29 and the latter is capable of sliding movement, it will be obvious that the same will be depressed and caused to perform its proper function.

It will be seen that I have by means of the pawl and ratchet 18 and 19, a well as the pawl opera-ting eccentric 17, provided means for allowing the planter to be moved backward or forward without operating the corn dropping mechanism, nor the marking device. This arrangement is particularly valuable in going-t0 and coming from the field to be planted, by throwing the planter and marker out of operating engagement.

When now the field is of irregular shape and consequently the rows of each succeeding line are shorter or longer, it will be seen protection which would to one arm of the lever 28 that I have provided means whereby the rows may be planted in such a.manner as to permit of an even dropping of the seed and marking of the hills, whereby regular rows are made which are vitally necessary for proper cultivation, irrigation and maximum production to the acre. It will be seen that this latter object may be accomplished by means of the ratchet 11 which is engaged by the knife edge 10 of the lever 9;

It will of course be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to operating means for a corn planter and hill marker, which must necessarily be secured to the hub, but I believe myself to be entitled to enable me to construct an operating means such as disclosed in Fig. 3, positioned along any part of the axle.

Having now described my invention what I desire to claim is:-

A corn planter compri 'ng seed dropping means a marker located adjacent said means, a socket member detachably connected to the axle of the planter, a cap member rotatably carried by said socket member and having an inwardly extending flange provided with ratchet teeth, a ratchet wheelsecured to said socket member, a pawl carried by the cap member andengaging said ratchet wheel, a hand operated member having an eccentric thereon carried by said cap member, said eccentric being adapted to engage the pawl to move the same out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, a hand operated lever rotatably mounted on the socket member and having a member adapted to be moved into engagement with the teeth on the cap member for adjusting said member on the socket member when the pawl is moved to inoperative position by the eccentric, a trip on said cap member and means operated by said trip for actuating the dropping means and the marker.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES K. ooonnan. 

